Successful Space Invasion of Lichfield!

Over the weekend of 20/21 September, Lichfield experienced an invasion of Stormtroopers, Dr. Who’s, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and many other favourite sci-fi characters when Space Invasion came to town. The free event was organised by Simon Horton in conjunction with The Hub, with many local people also dressing up as their favourite characters to join in the fun. Over 3,000 people visited The Hub where various space activities were held throughout the two days including light-sabre training, drawing workshops by Lee Bradley and face-painting.

The Hub played host to twenty-five costumed characters including Doctor Who, Thunderbirds, Wolverine and Star Wars, with people journeying from as far afield as Lincolnshire and Buckinghamshire to participate. We are also grateful for the support of three local businesses; Tesco, Coffee #1 and The Fabric Vault, who all provided various facilities. 

There was also a collection for The Stan Bowley Trust raising around £300. The trust has played a crucial role in expanding access to CyberKnife treatment in the UK, particularly at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where over 3,000 patients have received life-changing care. This groundbreaking radiotherapy treatment delivers high doses of radiation with sub-millimetre precision, enabling the targeting of previously untreatable tumours.

Simon Horton, Space Invasion organiser says: ‘The response this year has blown us away! Space Invasion started as a fairly low-key event last year, and it’s now exploded into something way above my original dreams. And the best thing is that it’s suitable for all ages – last year, we had a handful of children turn up in costume, but this year we saw an array of amazing costumes from both children and adults. It was so exciting to see so many people having a fantastic time. 

It’s quite a surreal event to organise, but it was an absolute pleasure to bring out-of-this-world fun to Lichfield – there’s nothing more impressive than seeing Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers marching down Market Street!’

Photo credit: Douglas Armour